Jeremiad
by Cymoril Avalon
Summary: A changed world, a frightened populace, and two distinctly different beings drawn to one another in the midst of chaos. AU, silentshipping.
1. Little Lamb

Disclaimer: No own. Never owned. Go away.

Author's Note: Okay, yes, this is a vampire AU fic. Yes, I HATE these types of fics because characters are usually so OOC it sickens me. However, these are so popular I decided to try my hand at it and see what all the fuss is. I tried very, very hard to keep everyone true to their nature, while still evolving them just enough to fit into a modified world. In other words, my Kaiba is still Kaiba, but he's just a little bit more. At least, that was my goal, since I didn't want to fall into the trap of having an original fic with Yugioh character names thrown in. So, please, review, critique, tell me what you like or don't like.

* * *

The night was unusually cold for September, causing Shizuka to huddle into her thin sleeveless shirt and think fondly of hot cocoa with marshmallows. Her step was brisk, and not only because of the weather; if her brother found out she was walking by herself so late at night, he would blow his gasket.

A completely understandable reaction, of course, but Shizuka would still prefer to avoid the inevitable lecture if she could. Besides, it wasn't her fault the last bus stopping at the library had been cancelled without any notification. She had a rather tiresome biology exam coming up in less than a week and she was spending almost every evening pouring over books and studying as hard as she could. With any luck, she'd get a good enough score to pull up her overall grade. She definitely needed it, considering she was on the brink of being placed on academic probation.

Jounouchi certainly hadn't been pleased to hear that. He'd ranted and raged like she'd never seen, accusing her of horrendous things. He'd apologized later, of course, but hearing that she never would have started getting bad grades if their parents were still alive had hurt worse than she allowed him to see. He often said such things when he lost his temper, which was becoming more and more often lately. The stress was getting to him.

It was getting to almost everybody. Shizuka could remember, just before her big brother had graduated high school, how all of his friends had used to go out almost every night, sometimes inviting her along as well. They'd laughed and joked around and picked on one another as if they'd be friends forever. Now, they rarely spoke outside of the occasional get-together, the infrequent phone calls and e-mails. Everything had changed.

She shivered, briskly rubbing her arms, and forced her mind away from such thoughts. She did not want to reflect about the darkness that had descended over Domino City and taken away her parents. They had finally begun to reconcile and repair their marriage, attending weekly therapy and her father going to classes to help cope with his alcohol problem. Then, on the night of their anniversary, the first they'd spent out together in years…

Tears burned in her eyes and she shied away from that train of thought as well. Shizuka found herself doing that more often than not lately. There was much she did not wish to think about, such as the burden she'd become to her brother after their parents were gone, with the rebellion she'd thrown initially and then the sickness that was steadily stealing her eyesight. Jounouchi was, despite his sister's protests, working three jobs in an attempt not only to ensure they kept a roof over their heads and food on the table, but to save up for the expensive surgery that was apparently the only way she would ever be cured. She insisted it wasn't necessary, that she would adapt, but her brother was stubborn. He was convinced he could single-handedly take care of anything and everything, and he didn't want his little sister worrying.

Thus, she hadn't even told him she'd picked up a part-time job on the side. After she'd received permission from her school – forging her brother's signature to get it – she'd immediately rushed out and gotten a less-than-glamorous job bussing tables at a local diner. It didn't bring in much, but it helped. It'd caused her grades to fall, between that and her general disinterest in academic studies, but her brother had sacrificed his college education in order to support them; could she do no less?

A nearby stray began barking wildly. Startled, the redhead flinched and looked over her shoulder, fully expecting to see slavering fangs and a furry muzzle headed straight for her face. She tensed, ready to leap away.

Emptiness greeted her. While it was better than the alternative, Shizuka didn't like being reminded of how alone she was on the streets. Not even the lamps were working properly; lights flickered intermittently as if on some sort of timer. It made her quicken her pace, nearly jogging to the nearest intersection and crossing the road.

She'd just turned down a side street when a cold hand closed on her upper arm. Reacting purely on instinct, Shizuka shrieked and lashed out, her hand connecting but feeling as if she'd just struck a brick wall, clearly hurting her far more than her assailant. Struggling, she was dragged into an alleyway and pressed to the wall firmly. Expecting the worst, the girl closed her eyes, tensing.

When nothing happened, she slowly opened first one eye, then the other, staring up in surprise.

"Kaiba-san?" She barely recognized him save for the telltale deep blue eyes and the cinnamon hair. He was paler than the boy she remembered from the tournament, even though he'd had the pasty complexion of a computer nerd who rarely went outside anyway and, if possible, thinner, almost on the verge of emaciated.

He was also ice cold. Had this been a normal meeting, she'd have thought some glib joke about how it matched his personality, but it would have been uncharacteristically mean of her. After all, she'd barely spoken to him during the tournament, and afterwards just as rarely. He'd tolerated her the way he'd tolerated all of his little brother's friends, but when Mokuba disappeared, so had the CEO, becoming more of a recluse than normal. He barely left Kaiba Corp., and only then to return to his desolate mansion. He'd fired almost all of his servants and rumor had it he did all the cleaning himself.

Shizuka hardly believed that.

Still, this was the first she'd glimpsed of him in what had to be years. Why was he out so late at night? And why didn't he answer her? He simply continued staring at her, his expression unreadable.

Shizuka squirmed slightly. "You're hurting me," she said earnestly, hoping he would let go.

Kaiba grunted.

The silence stretched for a few more minutes before he spoke.

"You shouldn't be out by yourself." It wasn't an admonition, and there was barely any interest in his tone of voice; it was simply a statement of the obvious. His voice still held that quiet confidence and surety that she remembered, and it was pleasant to find something familiar.

"I know," she murmured, relaxing in his grip. Kaiba was many things, but he wasn't a rapist. "The last bus was cancelled, and I missed the one before it cause I didn't know." He probably didn't care, but she felt the need to offer up some form of explanation.

"Don't you know the things wandering around out here?" He glanced off to the side as if to cement his words in her mind, making her begin to panic again. "Such terrible things, lurking, waiting for little girls like you to wander into their clutches." Kaiba found her eyes again and held them, gaze piercing.

If Shizuka didn't know better, she'd think he was talking about himself.

"I live not far from here." She was growing defensive, at once not appreciating his words and feeling a thrill that he cared enough to even speak with her. Despite having more or less vanished from public view, he was still adored by most of the female population, and Shizuka was no exception. He was a decidedly pretty creature despite his sickly pallor.

"Bad things often happen close to home."

His words made her want to look towards the street again but try as she might, she couldn't tear her gaze away. She began noticing minute changes in his eyes, watching as they dilated, the black nearly overwhelming the brilliant color. She could feel him tighten his grip on her, fingers bruising her skin, and then he smiled.

Normally, a rare smile from Seto Kaiba would have set her heart on fire. Now, when she saw the two fangs protruding, she understood why he looked and felt so different. He, too, had fallen, but harder than her parents.

At least they hadn't survived the attacks.

"Oh god." Her voice was choked. "You…"

His smile widened a fraction. "Boo."

Now, Seto Kaiba had never been known for his sense of humor, but somehow, he got an immense amount of glee over saying that one word. He went so far as to throw back his head and laugh, exposing his throat and the two pale red marks that marred it.

Panic wrapped around Shizuka's mind, leaving her almost pleasantly numb.

"I remember you," he said finally, tracing her cheek with one slender finger. His touch left a trail of ice on her skin that burned almost painfully, and she fully expected there to be a welt rising within minutes. "You're related to that mutt."

Nothing could cut through fear like an insult to her family. "He's not a mutt," she flared, her eyes narrowing slightly. Luckily for her, Kaiba only laughed again rather than reacting more violently.

"Is he just as much of a failure as I recall?" he teased, and Shizuka found herself at a loss for what to say. He seemed to realize he was overwhelming her and shook his head, bangs falling over his eyes. "Don't worry. If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have bothered letting you know I was there."

Well, wasn't that comforting.

"I wouldn't sully my body with blood as inferior as yours."

That sounded more like him. However, Shizuka wasn't about to argue. After all, what would she say? _Of course my blood is good enough for you, you twit. Go ahead, bite me._ That would be a decidedly bad idea.

"You're hurting me," she repeated instead and, to her surprise, he loosened his grip.

"You're just like I remember," Kaiba said, his voice turning softer. He shifted moods and topics as quickly as Mai; Shizuka idly wondered what had happened to the woman. "Weak, frightened, timid…respectful…" His eyes trailed lower, following the cut of her shirt, trailing over her curves in a way that Seto Kaiba never would have done.

It was rumored, after all, that he possessed no sex drive whatsoever. Unless, of course, it came to Duel Monsters cards.

Despite knowing who – what – he was, his gaze made her shiver pleasantly, and she became overly aware of her clothing, her hair, her skin, everything about her. It was almost as if he could see straight through everything, right into her, and…

"You've grown. I sometimes forget how the years pass."

Shizuka deemed it best to remain silent. His kind was notoriously volatile and the last thing she wanted to do was piss him off. He appeared to be in a friendly mood, and the longer she could maintain that, the better.

Suddenly, giving no warning, he pushed away from her, leaving her huddled against the wall, shaking. Movements preternaturally graceful, he reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a card, white enough to be the brightest thing there, catching the scant light and almost glowing. He offered it to her and, after a moment, she took it.

It was a business card with his name on it, but it wasn't for his corporation. She didn't recognize the name of the place, or the address, but then, she didn't go exploring around Domino City as much as she used to. Much of the layout had changed, buildings being burned or abandoned, others haphazardly thrown up, and it was simply much safer to keep to a familiar route.

"What…?"

"You should come by sometime. I think I would find your company there…agreeable." He managed to make the invitation both menacing and seductive, and he chuckled again, his hand briefly clasping a small locket hanging around his neck. Shizuka recognized it but wasn't sure what it held. "Show that card and you should have no trouble getting in."

Then, as swiftly as he'd captured her, he was gone.

Shizuka remained where she was for several minutes, almost afraid to move, as if even twitching would cause him to reappear in a less congenial mood. She had no desire to die the way her parents had died, and even less to become what he was.

Finally, numb from the cold and from his lingering touch, she ran the rest of the way home.

* * *

Kaiba's return to the mansion was punctuated only by the sound of the door slamming shut behind him. He gave no heed to the noise as he kicked off his shoes and moved about in almost total darkness, heading upstairs. Despite popular speculation, his mansion was spotless, not a speck of dust to be found in any corner; his cleaning crew were good, and discrete, partially because of how well he paid, and partially out of fear of what he would do if they failed.

The power he had was not much different from what he'd wielded before. He was used to people fearing rather than respecting him; in fact, he'd done everything he could to cultivate it even before the Egyptian had cornered him in his own bedroom.

He still hadn't repaid Malik for what he'd done. The bastard had turned him and left, not so much as guiding him through the first days, leaving the CEO to flounder and regain his footing fast enough to avoid being eliminated. Weakness was not tolerated; at least that he understood. Everything else…

It had been rough, growing acclimated, but he was a survivor. And in a way, it couldn't have come at a better time. After Mokuba had disappeared, Kaiba had lost almost all will to live, absolutely certain that if his resources could not locate the boy, then he was no longer alive to be found. The boy was everything to him, and losing him had been a blow he could not weather. He'd wanted to die, and Malik had fulfilled his wish, though not in the way Kaiba had wanted.

That had been the start of the fall of the city, the very beginning of the infestation that had taken over. The pragmatist in Kaiba insisted that it was better to join the winning team than to fall to them, and indeed he had powers he hadn't even dreamed of before. He was stronger, and he used that strength to pummel every other gaming company into submission. But such victories were like ash in his mouth.

Even with his new power and influence, he couldn't find his little brother. If Mokuba was indeed dead…

Kaiba's fists clenched. They would rue the day they ever decided to touch the boy.

Tugging his tie off as he entered his bedchamber, his eyes flickered disinterestedly at the half-naked girls awaiting his pleasure. His appetites were legendary. They fairly reeked of fear, just as that redhead had, yet they failed to stir his blood. Unlike that girl…

With a flick of his hand, he dismissed the lambs. Pressing together, they hurried out, and he pushed them from his mind. Why could he not stop thinking about that girl?

_Shizuka_, his thoughts provided in a purr. That was her name. What was it about her that had nearly caused him to lose control? He'd barely paid her any heed even when she became close to Mokuba, so why now? Was it her familiarity?

That couldn't be it, else he'd have cared even a fraction when he'd heard whispers of the feisty blonde destroying vampires in America. There was no doubt in his mind who that was and she, certainly, was far more familiar and memorable than Shizuka.

"You should eat."

Kaiba paused in unbuttoning his shirt and turned, watching as Isono – loyal even now – pushed a squirming brunette at him. Despite her trembling, her dark eyes flashed a challenge. They often thought that perhaps they would be the ones to break him, that they were pretty and special enough to turn him away from his blood lust and change the very fabric of his being.

_Just try it_, her eyes boasted. A fighter; he liked them best. It was always so dull when they were so meek and frightened that they barely tried to get away, and their antics in attempting to seduce him – whether sexually or emotionally – were always entertaining.

"You've had nothing all week. You must keep your strength up."

Kaiba frowned briefly before nodding, turning away as if it didn't matter. Despite what he'd told Shizuka, blood was blood; it didn't matter to him where it came from. But if they fought…it tasted that much sweeter.

But it wasn't the nameless girl's tan face in his mind as he fed.

* * *

Shizuka was timid as she unlocked the door to the tiny apartment she and her brother shared, eyes running over the threadbare carpets and rundown walls and peeling paint without really seeing them. Not once did she voice a complaint about their living conditions; Jounouchi was doing the best he could.

Still, she missed living in a house, running along the hallways and up and down the stairs, laughing. Laughing; she missed that most of all. It had been difficult to adjust when her parents had died, stuffing personal belongings into cramped spaces and crying whenever she held something of her mother's. Selling things had been even harder, objects that had carried so many memories. But they'd had no choice.

Shaking her head, she pushed the door open slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible. The door, however, needed repair, and thus it protested quite loudly. The superintendent was supposed to have fixed it that morning.

She could already hear Jounouchi's reaction. "At least no one'll be able to break in without waking the whole floor."

As if they had anything worth stealing in the first place. Anything of value had already been pawned off, save for a few items too precious to part with. While they were only material possessions and, in a sense, useless, Shizuka felt they contained the lingering essence of their parents and insisted on keeping them safe. One object, a plain gold pinky ring her mother had worn since Shizuka could remember, never left her finger.

Easing the door shut, Shizuka took a deep breath, waiting.

Silence. Perhaps her brother was asleep, or still out?

A quick glance at the clock showed the hand just past ten. Considering it was Friday, he might still be out, or staying with a friend…

Toeing off her shoes and stepping into her slippers, Shizuka silently padded into the kitchen, seeking a note. Instead, she found her brother hunched over at the kitchen table, pouring over a set of papers, a mug of steaming coffee in his right hand.

"Where were you?" His eyes never left the papers, but Shizuka could see his grip tighten on the mug.

She didn't have to lie. "The library. I told you, I have an exam…"

"Do you realize what time it is?"

"Yes…"

"You were supposed to be home…"

"Onii-chan." Shizuka crossed over to the table, resting a hand on his shoulder. He finally looked up at her, and she gave a start at the tired, worried look in his eyes. "They cancelled the bus. I had no choice but to walk home."

He relaxed, but only a fraction. "You could have called me…"

"I thought you'd be mad."

"I would have been, but I'd still have come and gotten you." He stood suddenly, knocking the chair to the floor and leaving the mug on the table. Then he wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her into a gruff hug. Burying his face in her hair, he mumbled, "I was worried, Shizuka. Don't do that ever again."

Well, this was far better than a lecture. "I'm sorry…"

"If anything ever happened to you…" Jounouchi inhaled sharply and hugged her fiercely, as if he was never willing to let her go. Then his voice turned slightly harsh. "You know how much I worry. Did you do this on purpose?"

Shizuka squirmed a little. "No…" He was in one of those moods again. She'd been deceived by the hug. "I'm sorry, onii-chan, please…"

"Are you sure you weren't out with a boy."

She felt stunned. "What? What are you talking about?"

He pulled away and stared down at her, his walls already formed once more. She could read nothing in his expression. "Someone left you a little gift on our doorstep."

He pointed, and Shizuka's gaze followed to the kitchen counter, where a massive, clearly expensive bouquet of flowers were sitting in a crystal vase. There was no note attached, nothing to indicate who it was from.

She shook her head slowly. "I don't…"

"Don't lie to me, Shizuka." His hands gripped her upper arms now, hard and painful. "Who sent those?"

"I don't know!"

Her cry seemed to break through, and he let go, his eyes pained. "I'm sorry. I don't…know what…" He took a step back and sighed, his shoulders slumping. He looked defeated. "I didn't mean to yell."

Shizuka understood; she always did. Still, she felt just as disturbed about those flowers as her brother was concerned. Who had sent them? She didn't know anyone with that kind of money, and as far as she knew, she had no admirers at school.

"It's all right. I'm going to bed now."

He leaned down and kissed her cheek, warm and affectionate again. This was the Jounouchi she knew and loved; she wished he stayed around longer.

"I'll be here," he promised, as he did every night. He never left her alone.

She reached up and touched his cheek, mirroring the one he'd kissed. "I know," she murmured. "I love you."

"Love you too."


	2. Along Came a Spider

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, or vampires, but I do own my AU. Damnit. Somehow. ...honest!

Author's Note: Yes, I wrote a second chapter. No, I honestly am not sure where I am going with this. I am more interested in feedback and suggestions, since this sort of fic is so new to me. Where do YOU want to see this go? What do YOU want to see happen? Who should live, who should die? ...yeah, just leave a damn review already.

* * *

The silence at the breakfast table the next morning was deafening. Shizuka unconsciously slumped in her chair, trying to make herself as small as possible as if, through becoming a miniscule speck of dust in the air, it might lighten the mood. However, her brother was still obviously peeved with her late return and she could tell that there was something else bothering him.

Not typically one to pry, the redhead was still worried, and after the fourth time he dropped blueberries on his lap, she gave in.

"Onii-chan?"

He looked over at her, dark eyes guarded. "Yes?"

At least his tone was friendlier than it'd been when he'd first awoken.

"What's wrong?" So much for subtlety.

At first, he hesitated, clearly trying to weigh the consequences of confiding in his little sister. He tried his best to shield her from the world as much as he could, not even considering that her maturity would be stunted from being coddled. In his mind, so long as he had his arms around her, nothing would be able to harm her.

But last night had been a harsh awakening to reality. His sister was growing up, and was going to start going her own way, and he couldn't always be there to protect her. It hurt, and at the same time, made him feel incredibly angry, already throwing temper tantrums at invisible attackers who dared attempt to defile his sister. They weren't even necessarily violent; footpads and cutpurses were one thing, but the rigors of the corporate world, the heavy burden of bills and adult worries, were what he was attempting, and failing, to  
battle.

Not to mention keeping her safe from all that goes bump in the night.

Perhaps it was time to involve her further in the little details of running day to day lives, the necessary evils they all allowed into their homes and tolerated. After all, if something were to happen to him one day…

He pushed such thoughts aside. He'd screwed up. Again. His sister came first, always, and his overprotective nature had clearly left her inadequately prepared to face the world.

"We may lose the apartment," he said finally at length. "The factory is being closed down and everyone let go. Our landlord understands, but only to a point. I have one month to find new employment."

Jounouchi's words crashed down around her like bricks, and she stared at him, feeling as if he'd struck her and knocked the breath from her lungs. In truth, she had no idea how much their rent was, or their other bills. She'd attempted to learn, but Jounouchi had pushed her away, assuring her he had everything under control.

He always thought he had everything under control.

Now, though, things were going to have to change. He was going to have to learn about the job she was keeping on the side, and the savings she'd been building up. Still, she wasn't sure if such a meager amount was going to be enough.

"I'm sure you'll find something," Shizuka said with her usual optimism –outwardly, at least; inwardly, she wasn't as cheerful as everyone made her out to be – and she reached across the table, taking one of her brother's hands in his. "We'll make it work."

Her wording wasn't lost on him. "I don't want you to get involved…"

"I already am."

"Shizuka…"

Her tone firmed, though her voice was still gentle. "I'm a part of this family, and I live here." Unbidden, the thought of Kaiba and his invitation flashed through her mind, that chance meeting that had kept her twisting and turning in bed for most of the night. Angrily, she pushed it away; Jounouchi's did not beg, something her brother had taught her at a very young age. They fought, but they did not beg.

His eyes lightened a little, and he went so far as to smile. "Shizuka." This time, her name was said with more warmth. "I don't want you to worry about this. I have everything under control."

No he didn't.

"I know," she murmured. Handling her brother and his pride was an art form she still hadn't mastered. "But I want to help. Please?"

"You need to focus on your studies."

"I already have a job."

Jounouchi went still, his eyes widening. "…what?"

The tension thickened palpably. Apparently, the news upset him just as much as she expected. After all, it meant that she lied to him about her location at various times, telling him she was at a friend's house or in the library studying when really, she was out of his reach. Dangerous, in his eyes, and unforgivable.

"The school authorized it."

"Without my consent?"

"I'm not a child."

"You're my sister." As if that justified everything.

"I realize that." Shizuka paused and took a deep breath, trying not to lose her temper. It was rough sometimes. "But it is my decision and I will stick by it. I have some money saved up that we can use if things get tight, and I am not going to quit. I'm still managing good grades…"

If barely passing substituted for good.

"You could do better if you weren't working…"

"…and everything will be easier with both of us working to pay everything off. Don't you see?" Shizuka amiably talked over him, uninterested in his assumptions about her academic life. She wasn't the best student in the world, and never would be, and at least this way, her time was being put to good use.

Again, Kaiba's face rose in her mind – this time, not as she'd seen him last night, but as she remembered him from Battle City. Pale skin carrying a healthy flush to it, hair shifting in the breeze, eyes cold but beautiful. Shizuka wasn't entirely sure why she kept thinking about him, and believed it had to be because of his vast wealth. Had he still been the same as during Battle City, she could have curried favors, pulled strings, gotten her brother or herself a job with Kaiba Corporation.

Had Kaiba still been human.

She likely could still land a position there, especially once school let out. They were always hiring, though that by itself was ominous. It was a dubious pleasure to be able to claim one worked at Kaiba Corporation considering the darker dealings it had fallen into. It still pursued advanced gaming technologies, but rumors abounded of the underhanded dealings and dark avenues it twined through. Unsurprising, considering who headed the organization, but…

But the fact remained that Kaiba was alive – sort of – and he'd offered her an invitation to see him. The fact remained that they needed assistance of some sort if they were going to continue to survive.

The fact remained that they could not leave the city without permission, and if Jounouchi could not find employment within the boundaries of Domino…

Perhaps, if her brother never found out, if no one aside from the two of them ever found out, then a little bit of…not begging, perhaps, but persuading…a trade of some sort…

"Shizuka?"

The girl gave a start, not having realized she'd gone quiet. Shaking her head, she tried to pick up her train of thought, finding it elusive.

Instead of responding, she simply looked at her brother, watching the emotions warring across his face. Then finally he nodded.

"So long as you tell me where you are at all times." It might have sounded excessive, but coming from his point of view, it was more than understandable.

"Of course."

"…I'd die if anything happened to you."

"Onii-chan…"

Rising from the table, Jounouchi tugged his sister up and against him, drawing her into a tight hug.

The siblings said no more.

* * *

More than a week had passed since Shizuka's received the invitation, and it wasn't until early on a Saturday evening that she even pulled out the card, examining it as if expecting it to be covered in poison. Her brother was at Honda's, presumably spending the night – the two were spending an awful lot of time together lately – and all of her friends were busy with other engagements. Which left her alone and bored, a rather dangerous combination.

Especially considering the burning desire she'd had to take Kaiba up on his offer.

It wasn't an especially intelligent decision, of course, considering she was probably running right into a nest of the creatures, but somehow, she felt he wouldn't have invited her if he wasn't certain he could keep her safe. Though really, one never knew with them…they dined on lies, feasted on manipulation, and she could be nothing but the newest toy he wished to play with before discarding.

Vampires. The word still sent a shiver down her spine. Who would have ever thought those things actually existed? They had been nothing but shadow figures lurking across fictional pages and on the television screen until the outbreaks began to occur. Shizuka still didn't feel comfortable labeling them that way; they bore only a little resemblance to vampires, and even the fictional creatures had plenty of contradictory information to choose from. There had even been rumors that some of them were spotted during the daytime, out in plain sight, the sun beating down on their pale features…

Was it really worth the risk to go see him? What, exactly, did he want from her? He couldn't possibly know about their current financial situation, but during Battle City, he'd barely given her the time of day. Had she been a duelist, and one of skill, he might have offered her more than passing glances, but as it was…

She was a nobody. A schoolgirl, the little sister of someone he disliked, just another human in the crowd.

But this human had been gifted with the invitation, something Shizuka doubted Kaiba handed out often.

Shizuka sighed, pillowing her head in her arms. Her thoughts were contradicting one another, just as they did every single time she allowed herself to consider accepting. She kept telling herself it couldn't hurt, nothing would happen to her, and if it did…

One less burden for her brother…

She stopped that train of thought, then derailed it and set it on fire.

But it still didn't stop the churning in her stomach, or the odd temptation that was tickling across her skin like spiders. It surprised her as much as it annoyed her; normally, she was much safer than this, preferring to keep herself hidden away. The less attention brought to her and her family, the better; such attention often led to darker things.

Shizuka's resistance was crumbling, the flakes spreading and dusting away. Before she knew it, before she could think rationally and talk herself out of it, she was on her feet, heading to the shower and shedding her clothes along the way. She'd already made her decision days ago, she realized absently; it had just taken her this long to acknowledge it and find the courage to pursue it.

Despite her words to her brother concerning their financial situation, she was worried. Jounouchi still had not found employment, and his other jobs didn't pay enough to carry the rent and bills entirely on their shoulders. Shizuka was unable to acquire more hours while she still attended school, and a pay raise for either of them was out of the question. Jounouchi was too proud to ask for help.

Shizuka, not so much.

Not to say she didn't have her pride, just that she was more willing to bend so long as it kept her brother safe. She would gladly accept any burden to keep it off of his shoulders, much as he'd done for her over the years, even if she had to deal with someone like Kaiba, even if she had to put her pride on the line and watch it trampled. Still, she couldn't stop the bitter tears from mingling with the water dripping down her naked skin.

If her parents hadn't been killed, things would have been different, she just knew it.

If the darkness had never covered the city…

Such thoughts were dangerous, but she couldn't banish them. She at least knew better than to voice them. Such talk had led to numerous disappearances, and the police turned a blind eye to the questionable circumstances. They weren't to think of it, even to question if these creatures had spread beyond their borders, or originated in another country. The Japanese were fed very little news from the outside.

There was no help in Domino City, but Shizuka was going to seek it anyway, likely from the last place she ever would have considered looking. There lay the chance that she'd wind up dead from the attempt, but the way things stood, she took that risk every time she stepped out of the apartment. Safety conditions were degrading, the police force either too disinterested – paid off, most likely – or simply not equipped to handle the increasing threats.

If things continued the way they were, the creatures would rule over a dead city.

The warm water seemed to turn to ice, and Shizuka shivered, turning it off. The usual delight she took in her showers had vanished, turned dark and corrupted like her thoughts as she continued wondering how life would have been had everything remained normal. She could have been any typical schoolgirl, laughing and smiling and studying and going on dates, keeping her brother from murdering any guy who looked at her, and not worrying over staying out past ten on weeknights. University entrance exams would have been the center of her attention, shopping and going out with friends, instead of huddling in corners whenever she sensed one of them around, hoping not to be noticed.

Had they not enacted the law banning humans from leaving the city without permission from a member of their hierarchy, she and her brother would have left a long time ago. Her parents never would have allowed them to remain in such a dangerous city. But such permission was rarely granted for those who hadn't already curried favor by bowing and scraping to them.

Something which Shizuka was more than ready to do to fix their situation. But with any luck, it would be unnecessary.

Taking a deep breath, she padded into her bedroom to prepare herself.

* * *

The club played much the same music as it had before being taken over and renovated, the heavy bass making the floor pound. Colored lights were everywhere, bathing each section in its own color, ranging from blue to orange to blood red, and one section – where most of those seeking narcotics to ease their troubles tended to congregate – sported a blacklight, making the people mingling appear almost to glow.

Couples writhed on the dance floor, all but ignoring the beat and moving to their own rhythm. Occasionally, a pale and lifeless body would be carted out, discarded somewhere out back, but no one paid it much mind; such events were all too common there.

Kaiba spent most Saturday nights at the club, watching the people, conducting business, forging new alliances and breaking old ones. He had finally settled into a position where he was secure enough to pick and choose his battles, and where to wage them, and this was one of his favorite locations. It offered both the opportunity to appear in the public eye, as well as to conduct business in privacy if he so wished. His presence by itself had turned the night club into one of the most popular in the city, and it was well-known to those in the upper echelons that this was his preferred stomping ground. If one needed to find Kaiba for whatever reason, he'd be there.

Most importantly, this was where he met with his eyes and ears, where he went to gather information about his brother's whereabouts. Nothing but faint rumors had trickled in, growing steadily thinner, and this night was no exception, but he kept to his schedule almost religiously, refusing to believe that the cycle would not break. He had people combing the entire globe for his little brother; they would find him, if there was anything to find.

The latter, of course, was something he refused to even consider. He was still Seto Kaiba, and Seto Kaiba did not lose.

Leaning back on the leather couch, he sighed softly as he felt soft hair tickling his arm. The girl chosen to be his consort for the night was an unusually affectionate one, though she made no attempts at wriggling into his pants, no matter how much she might have wanted to. Isono was getting better at weeding out the fanatics; his fangirls seemed to have become even more rabid lately. And, he dared to think, this one was almost pleasant company.

But her hair was the wrong color, her eyes were too small and set too close together, and her build was too husky. Not that she was unattractive – far from it; he wouldn't be seen in public with anyone who didn't meet his standards – but it just didn't feel right. But it was unlikely that the girl would survive the night, so it didn't much matter.

Not that he cared in the first place. She was disposable, like so many others in this city. Fodder. Useless. Her family's name carried no weight, and only her beauty had kept her from being thrown to those in lesser circles, and even that wasn't famed enough to earn her a space beside one of the hierarchy.

Which, of course, bristled with Kaiba. He was used to being at the top of the chain, and now he'd been thrust into a world where everything was mixed up, and he had to work his way back to the pinnacle. He'd made fair progress thus far, but it was stunted. Much rested on the shoulders of a negotiation that was to take place later that night,  
after the hour struck one, in one of the private back rooms often set aside for such matters.

However, his mind wasn't, for once, on business. It was on a scrawny little redhead he'd cornered what seemed like forever ago, and whether or not she'd show up this time.

Kaiba couldn't really blame her if she chose not to. After all, his kind had a reputation, and she was a good girl. Kaiba had harbored a less than friendly reputation even before his change, but, if possible, it had only degraded over the year. But he'd seen stronger girls succumb to their curiosity, and had no doubt that, eventually, Shizuka would come to him.

They always did.

What he would do when she did, he hadn't quite decided, but he figured he'd deal with it when it happened. There were several options for one of his standing, one of which was to do absolutely nothing. That in and of itself carried dangers; if he appeared to reject her, that would open her up to anyone else in the vicinity who might find her scent attractive. But at the same time, if he lent her his protection, his enemies would sniff her out just as quickly.

Perhaps he shouldn't have involved her at all. For some reason, what appeared to be the almost inevitable conclusion bothered him. Why, he didn't know, and he stubbornly refused to delve deeper and discover the reason. It was enough that it existed, floating around in his mind, whispering and taunting.

The girl's head slipped down into his lap, but he barely noticed.

Instead, his thoughts were once again turned inward, falling back to memory, though so much of it had faded. Had he found the girl attractive, back during the finals? Or just another annoying nuisance, like her brother? He easily recalled how polite she'd been, quick to offer him the respect he deserved, and her soft-spoken, gentle nature. It was, in part, why he'd given in and allowed that white-haired boy to receive treatment from his own personal medical team.

Only in part though; he hadn't been about to allow someone to die during his tournament. The publicity from that would have been permanently damaging, and he never wished personal harm on any of the participants. He might have been ruthless and cold-hearted, but he'd never been cruel. Even now…

It wasn't cruelty; it was pragmatism. Kaiba did what it took to survive, and to ensure his place in society.

But the memory of her bent in a deep bow, her voice pleading…

He gasped softly, one hand twining in the girls hair, guiding her. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend the hair he touched wasn't done in elaborate curls, and that the mouth around him wasn't quite so big.  
That way, if he deluded himself into forgetting that the girl wasn't the one he wanted, it was more enjoyable.

Until a familiar scent wafted across his nose, and his eyes snapped open, locking upon the entrance to the club. A small waif of a girl stood showing the guard a small card, and he was leering at her like a wolf presented with a hamstrung deer. At first, it appeared as if she wouldn't be permitted to enter, but then he waved her through and she stood near the bar, looking around helplessly.

A tongue ran along his lips as he took in her form, hands tightening in dark curls almost painfully. She'd gone so far as to dress for the occasion and, surprisingly, had left her throat bare. Most humans who entered this club – of their own accord or because they had no choice – typically kept their necks covered unless they had been brought there for a specific purpose. Thus, it was no wonder she drew hungry looks. It was clear that she had either received an invitation, or possessed a death wish.

Not to mention she looked twice as delicious clad entirely in black, with just enough left to the imagination to keep her from looking like a streetwalker. Plenty of those had frequented the club and similar ones in the early days, but swift disappearances had put an end to that.

Obviously nervous, the girl continued looking around, before finally locking gazes with Kaiba. Dark blue held amber for several seconds before his hips bucked up, body finding release while his mind was still captured.

"Shizuka," he breathed, breaking into a wide grin. "You came."


End file.
